The top state senator of Iowa continues and will continue to block any attempts wanting to constitutionally repeal gay marriage in the state.

Michael Gronstal, Democrat and leader of the Senate's majority, reiterated his opposition during an interview on Iowa Public Television but the republican leader, Jerry Behn, however wants to evoke this ban at a forthcoming session. Lawmakers would have to vote in favor of a constitutional amendment during sessions before voters.

Thanks to the recent election of Liz Mathis, the majority thus remains Democrat and stays opposed to this proposal.

Harvard University announced Wednesday that it may add language to its admission application that would allow prospective students to identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, according to The Harvard Crimson.

"I think this campus is really welcoming to all students and that's the signal we want to send," dean of admissions and financial aid William R. Fitzsimmons told the Crimson.

Harvard Queer Students and Allies cochair Emma Wang said "it is very refreshing and progressive."

She added that "not only would the change give applicants a more welcoming image, but it would allow the college to keep better track of how many LGBT students apply and how many are accepted."

The final decision will be made in February but already, it is possible for students to participate in LGBT student groups as an extracurricular activity.

Harvard is not the only one to develop this kind of initiative since the university of Elmhurst, near Chicago, will become the first university to be ask about sexual orientation in admission applications which will begin in fall.

This bill "provide essential protections for the transgender community in employment, education, and in situations where people face hate-based violence," according to Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, the New England LGBT advocacy organization, passed the Senate which approved it on a voice vote.

Governor Deval Patrick has to sign it and he had already told The Boston Globe that if it passed the Senate, he would do it:

After allowing gay marriage in 2004 becoming the first state to pass it, Massachusetts continues on its way towards more equality. There remain still things to improve since this bill does not provide protections in "public accommodations" such as public restrooms.

History and girl's basketball coach, openly lesbian, Nikki Williams, was fired by Life School in Waxahachie, Texas probably because of her sexual orientation.

The parents support her like Tiniqua Smith who has a daughter who attends the school.

"She's always offered them the utmost respect, she's offered parents the utmost respect she has done everything possible to get the girls to be able to have a winning season something they haven't experienced before," she said.

"I think that her being gay has nothing to do with her coaching skills. She has not tried to push this off on the kids, and I don't feel that it should be a problem."

In spite of petitions, she having been already replaced by someone else.

Her mother said that "they just wanted to understand why someone that the girls loved so much and the students cared for so much why she was let go."

"The only reason that they gave was that their code of ethics and their standards of excellency and they said that basically that my daughter didn't stand up to that," she added.

According to The33tv, Trina Williams says her daughter is saddened over this but she will bounce back.

"She's worked very hard to get to this point in her life and it's heartbreaking to see something like this happen to her," Williams said.

Bad news in California, the Supreme Court ordered that ProtectMarriage could defend in appeal proposition 8 in a federal court.

The court indicates that it does not have anything to do with gay marriage:

"The resolution of this procedural question does not turn on the substance of the particular initiative measure at issue, but rather on the purpose and integrity of the initiative process itself," Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakueye wrote.

"We disagree profoundly with the California Supreme Court’s holding that a handful of unelected initiative sponsors have the power to represent the interests of the entire public and to override the decisions of the state’s elected executive officers," said Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

"We hope the 9th Circuit will issue its decision soon and hasten the day when this damaging law is off the books," she added.

An activist, John Becker, went in secrecy into the private clinic of Bachmann pretending to be a patient and found the "reparative" therapy being offered.

An associated press reports that Becker had given the required notice when he canceled the appointments but recently, Bachmann contacted him asking for money and Bachmann threatened to send Becker to a collection agency:

"You'll be charged, and you owe us, so we're going to send you to a collection agency, whatever it takes to get the truth out of you," Bachmann told him, according to video of the conversation from WFFF-TV in Vermont, where Becker lives.

"You come under deception, you come under a total lie. and you didn't ask for this. John?" Marcus Bachmann told Becker while putting on the pressure. "Boy, that really is taking responsibility."

Of course, Truth Wins Out has no intention to pay:

"We call on Marcus Bachmann to immediately stop his petty and vindictive campaign of harassment and threats against our organization," said the group's executive director, Wayne Besen.

"Perhaps, now that Michele’s campaign is foundering, the Bachmanns are frustrated and looking for scapegoats to explain her failure. Truth Wins Out refuses to be intimidated or blackmailed by Bachmann. This bogus bill will not be paid."

Finally we will know the California Supreme Court's opinion: Can the sponsors of Prop. 8 defend or not the bill in state court as the governor and the attorney general refuse?

California Supreme Court announced that it will give its opinion Thursday.

According to Los Angeles Times, if the court rules against the initiative backers, then a federal appeals court is more likely to rule that ProtectMarriage.com, the sponsor of Proposition 8, also lacks standing under federal law.

Gay rights groups want the state high court to deny standing to the initiative's sponsors. That could avoid a constitutional showdown on Proposition 8 that gays might lose before the U.S. Supreme Court.

But this will be only an opinion, the decision will be taken by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

One can only hope that then, the judges of the Court of Appeal, who had requested the Supreme Court's opinion, follows it if, of course, it is positive for us.

Normally, the constitution of Montana must grant equality of treatment for all people so for gays and lesbians also. Based on this, ACLU will defend Mary Anne Guggenheim and her partner of 27 years, Jan Donaldson.

Recently, Mary Anne undergo a surgery to replace her hip and the doctor refused to speak to Jan.

As Jan say it very well, "this case is about treating people fairly and humanely."

"We just want the dignity of having our committed partnership recognized as worthy of those legal protections."

ACLU said that the recognition of same-sex partnerships is necessary to confirm to uphold fair treatment for all, guaranteed by Montana's constitution.

"Anyone who works and pays taxes should be treated equally and fairly by our state," said Jennifer Giuttari, interim legal director for the ACLU of Montana.

"When two people are in a committed relationship, they should be eligible for benefits, like filing a joint tax return, regardless of whether they are a same-sex couple or a different-sex couple," she added.

Catholic Charities drops. Impossible for them to continue to fight against civil unions and adoption by gay and lesbian couples.

The group tried to continue its adoption work in Illinois but, thanks to the new civil union law which allows gay and lesbian couples to be treated the way married couples are treated, it became impossible.

They have to even refer the unmarried couples which wanted to become parents to other agencies because of religious reasons, as they said.

The lawyers said that "the actions of the State have prevented the Charities from being able to obtain relief from the Illinois court system."

Anthony Martinez of The Civil Rights Agenda, gay rights group, said: "Finding a loving home for the thousands of children in the foster/adoption system should be the priority, not trying to exclude people based on religious dogma.

Dropping this suit is a step in the right direction for what is best for all the citizens of this great state."